• Realignment Trash Talk Is So Last Week. In a move that drew widespread yawns in our palatial headquarters, Alabama columnist and talk-radio host Paul Finebaum declared the Hogs one of several losers in the recent realignment saga:
Would someone tell the Little Piggies to shut up? After media reports surfaced that Arkansas tried but failed to get hooked up as the 11th team in the new 10-team Big 12, the school decided to go on the offensive. Stealing a page from BP's public relations playbook, athletic director Jeff Long issued a long and self-serving statement, saying the school "has no interest" in leaving the SEC. There's a reason for that -- nobody wants you.
September can't get here soon enough.
• Haiti Relief. If you live in Northwest Arkansas or are going to be in the area this weekend, you should consider attending Razorback Relief: Operation Haiti, a 24-hour event in which volunteers and Razorback athletes will package meals that will be shipped to the earthquake-ravaged nation. The event begins at 7 p.m. on Friday. Volunteers will work in two-hour shifts. For more information, visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.
• Has He Seen "The Wire"? Former Hog safety Ken Hamlin has signed with the Baltimore Ravens.
• Lots of Nail Biting. Does it seem to you like the football Hogs have played more than their fair share of close games over the years? Your senses are not deceiving you, says this excellent post by Sharp Tusk of the Hog Database. According to Sharp Tusk, since joining the SEC, the Razorbacks have played more conference games decided by three points or less than any other school in the league.